Opportunities for Arab youth employment in
the hospitality, technology and media
industries in the MENA region
February, 2017
Table of Contents
Executive Summary
3
Introduction
7
Overview of Arab youth employment in the MENA Region
17
Overview of the hospitality, technology and media industries in the MENA
Region
22
Assessment of youth employment in the hospitality, technology and
media Industries
39
Bridging the gap
52
Appendix A: Impact of education in the social progress index
60
Appendix B: Survey results
64
Appendix C: Glossary of key terms
70
Appendix D: References
72
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
2
Executive summary
Overview of youth employment opportunities in the MENA Region
Arab youth should consider working in the hospitality, technology and
media industries to capitalize on favorable industry trends and skill
requirements.
Hospitality
•
Key hospitality trends and
opportunities:
‒ The hospitality industry in the MENA
region is expected to grow by an
average of 4.2% annually.
‒ Several major events will be
organized in the GCC including Expo
2020 and Qatar World Cup 2022,
thus, increasing hospitality job
opportunities for Arab youth.
‒ The hospitality industry in some
North Africa and Levant countries is
slowly picking up, after navigating
the Arab Spring and other political
instabilities.
•
•
•
Key required skills:
‒ Technical skills: hotel operations
management, Financial
management, guest relations, event
management, and catering
management.
‒ Soft skills: communication,
languages, positive attitude,
interpersonal and leadership skills.
•
Technology
Entry-level opportunities:
‒ Intern or member of a graduate
program
‒ Event Coordinator / Supervisor
‒ Customer Services Representative
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
•
Key technology trends and
opportunities:
‒ The technology services market in
the MENA region is expected to grow
by 8.6% annually.
‒ Emerging technology trends such as
IoT, Big Data, e-commerce and cloud
has both increased and altered the
nature of jobs in technology
‒ There is an increased interest in tech
businesses and start-ups, increasing
demand for key technology and
engineering skills.
Key required skills:
‒ Technical skills: knowledge of
programing languages, cloud
computing, application/software
development, statistical analysis and
data mining, network management
and security, and interface design.
‒ Soft skills: communication, problem
solving and analytical skills.
Media
•
‒ The media market in the MENA
region grew by around 7% annually
over the past few years.
‒ The traditional media industry is in a
transition phase to compete with
online media providers.
‒ Social media and online media
platforms are vying to dominate
online content/news.
‒ Organizations are understanding the
power of social media to
communicated and build
relationships with their customers.
•
Key required skills:
‒ Technical skills: SEO/SEM
marketing, social media
management, editing, internet
publishing.
‒ Soft skills: creativity, analytical and
interpersonal skills.
Entry-level opportunities:
‒ Traditional jobs: software/hardware
engineers, business analyst,
database administrator, and
network/security engineers.
‒ Emerging jobs: user experience
designer, mobile developers, ethical
hackers and data engineers.
Key media trends and
opportunities:
•
Entry-level opportunities:
‒ Digital Marketing Executive
‒ Internet Publishers and Editors
‒ Social Media and Marketing
Specialists
4
Overview of youth industry challenges in the MENA Region
Arab youth should address common and specific challenges to gain
employment in the hospitality, technology and media industries.
Common Youth Employment Challenges Across Industries
•
•
•
Political and economic instability negatively affects job
openings for Arab youth
University curricula are not fully aligned to industry
requirements, creating a mismatch of skills
56% of Arab fresh graduates perceive themselves to be
unprepared to join the workforce
Hospitality Employment
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of vocational training
opportunities to prepare Arab youth
for a hospitality job
Demand for talent is not fulfilled due
to skill shortages
Lack of fluency in languages other
than Arabic, particularly in GCC
Resistance to work overnight shifts
Perception that hospitality jobs are
more suitable for women
Overall perception that hospitality
jobs do not provide significant career
advancement
Payment scales are comparably lower
in hospitality, except for senior
positions, which make sit
demotivating for young people to join
the industry.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
•
•
•
Arab youth prefer to work in traditional industries due to
prestige, work-life balance and compensation
Arab youth lack critical information about the range of
opportunities available to them in high-growth industries
Increased competition from more qualified expatriates
Technology Employment
Challenges
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Lack of hands-on experience
Decrease in the number of STEM
students
Skill shortages for IT Security
Professionals, Network Architects,
Software/Application Engineers, and
Hardware Engineers
Demand for middle to senior IT roles
in niche and high-tech sectors is not
fulfilled
Perception that technology jobs are
more suitable for men
Requires constant learning to adapt
to new technologies
Relevance of today’s educational
curricula to emerging technologies.
Media Employment Challenges
•
•
•
•
Lack of fluency in languages other
than Arabic, particularly in GCC
Cultural reservations regarding
women working in media, censorship,
and levels of free speech
Demand for Internet Content
Creators, Editors and Social Media
Specialists is not fulfilled
Relatively low employment
opportunities in traditional media
organizations
5
Addressing Arab youth employment challenges
Addressing Arab youth employment challenges and opportunities require
a joint effort across key stakeholders.
3 Civil Society and Media
•
•
•
4 Industry Organizations
Encourage and emphasize the
role of entrepreneurship to
create employment
opportunities.
Spread awareness about the
high unemployment rates in
MENA region and their severity
on the economy.
Host joined initiatives between
different stakeholders.
•
•
•
Key
stakeholders
5 Arab Youth
2 Governments
•
•
•
Lead the development and
oversee the implementation of a
national skills/education
strategy.
Enhance accreditation
requirements and education
quality standards.
Where possible, provide
incentives to redirect youth to
high-growth and non-traditional
industries.
•
•
•
Develop and implement a plan to
work in a desired industry.
Be flexible to trying new things,
particularly in high-growth and
non-traditional industries.
Pursue internships to apply
concepts taught in class to realworld situations.
1 Education Institutions
•
•
•
•
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Partner with education providers to
align curricula to industry
requirements.
Promote non-traditional job
opportunities and required skills
clearly.
Tackle youth misperceptions
regarding working in non-traditional
industries.
Revise program curricula and teaching methods in line with industry skill
requirements.
Incorporate international business practices and ensure international
exposure opportunities.
Promote vocational training, technical training and experiential learning
opportunities as a means to gain practical and industry-specific trainings.
Support students during the job search process, including career coaching
and job fairs.
6
Introduction
Overview of INJAZ Al Arab (INJAZ)
INJAZ is an non-profit organization that aims to promote youth
education and training in the MENA region.
Establishment
INJAZ was established in 1999 as a non-profit
organization that aims to promote youth education
and training in the Arab World under three pillars:
workforce readiness, financial literacy and
entrepreneurship.
Purpose
INJAZ is focused on developing young people’s ability
to contribute to their nation’s economic development.
Achievements
• INJAZ is the only non-profit organization in the
region that harnesses the mentorship of business
leaders to inspire cultural entrepreneurship and
business innovation among Arab youth.
• INJAZ was named one of the top 100 NGO’s in the
world by Global Journal for two consecutive years,
2012 and 2013.
• INJAZ has helped over 2 million students
through entrepreneurship training opportunities.
• INJAZ is a member of Junior Achievement, the
world's largest and fastest growing youth
business organization.
INJAZ Key Activities
• Form partnerships with organizations to provide
mentorship opportunities to Arab youth.
• Host training programs to develop the required
skills of Arab youth, enabling a smoother
transition to their job after graduation.
• Provide entrepreneurship training programs for
Arab youth to help them develop their business
skills and to contribute to society.
• Support Arab youth in launching their startups
by providing training, funding and incubation.
• Conduct research to implement programs and
initiatives that support youth employment.
Source: INJAZ website
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8
Overview of Expand Your Horizon (EYH)
EYH is a joint initiative by INJAZ and its partners to encourage Arab
youth to realize their potential by a career in the private sector.
EYH Purpose
Role of INJAZ in EYH
EYH aims to boost employment rates by
educating youth on the benefits of jobs in the
private sector and entrepreneurship
opportunities in the Middle East and North
Africa.
INJAZ supports Arab youth’s engagement in
the private sector through EYH. EYH is an
initiative that targets the deficiencies of the
education system, and empowers youth to
solve unemployment by creating a greater
understanding of the opportunities available to
them.
EYH Objectives
• Encourage Arab youth to consider different
career paths and focus on developing the
skills needed in trending industries.
• Provide enough information for students,
youth and families to make well informed
career decisions.
• Facilitate collaboration between the media,
private sector, NGOs and students to boost
presence and awareness of INJAZ and its
industry partners.
Role of Partners
Partners commit their time and resources to
provide valuable hands-on work experience to
Arab youth.
Partners also launch media campaigns to
educate youth about trending industries and
possible opportunities. Some participants offer
internships in conjunction with their
campaign.
Source: EYH website
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
9
Objectives of this report
In line with INJAZ and EYH’s objectives, Deloitte developed this report
to highlight opportunities for Arab youth in the technology, media and
hospitality industries.
What to expect from this report?
An overview of Arab youth employment in the hospitality, technology and media industries in
the MENA region.
An assessment of Arab youth employment in those industries and the identification of
potential paths to employment by studying the requirements in each industry.
Potential steps to mend the skill gap and sustain the path of improvement.
Before going into the analysis, it is important to define the following terms:
(more information on the following slides)
Arab
Talent
Youth
Millennials
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
10
Defining Arabs
The MENA region hosts a rich blend of Arab nationals and expatriates;
hence, defining “Arabs” cannot be limited to Arab passport-holders only.
EYH Definition of Arabs
• EYH defines Arabs as individuals of any nationality who currently reside in an Arab country.
• Since EYH aims to enhance employment of Arab youth in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA)
region, Arab passport-holders living outside an Arab country are not considered.
Sample Arab countries included in this report
Levant
North Africa
GCC
Lebanon
Tunisia
Morocco
Yemen
United Arab
Emirates
Saudi Arabia
Palestine
Egypt
Algeria
Oman
Kuwait
Bahrain
Jordan
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Qatar
11
Defining talent
All individuals are talented; they just need to be engaged and trained in
order to discover what their talent is.
What is “Talent”?
Talent comes in
many shapes and
sizes!
• Talent is a natural aptitude or skill that an individual has to perform something
relatively well compared to his/her peers.
• Contrary to popular belief, all individuals are talented; They just need to be
engaged and trained in order to discover what their talent is.
• An individual may become aware of his/her talent through continuous
experiences in areas that naturally attract him/her.
• Once discovered, talent should be continuously fostered and developed in order
to deliver the required performance and results.
Educated individuals:
• Currently attend or previously
attended educational institutions.
• Have a formal certificate or degree
in a specific field.
• Acquire learning in various
disciplines on an ongoing basis.
• May have an area of expertise, but
that does not necessarily mean that
they are talented in that field.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Educated
individuals
versus
Talented
individuals
Talented individuals:
• Have an innate ability to perform
certain tasks better than their
peers.
• Are aware of that ability and
develop it over time through
trainings and experiential learning
opportunities.
12
Defining youth
Various definitions for “youth” exist, but for the purpose of this report,
youth is defined as individuals between the ages of 16 and 25.
Youth can be defined as the age span at which an
individual can enter the labor market. Given that
nowadays may individuals delay their entry to the
labor market, the statistical definition no longer
holds. – International Labor Organization
(ILO)
Youth is a fluid category, often indicated as an age
at which an individual may leave compulsory
education to find his/her first job. For statistical
purposes youth has been defined to be someone
between the age of 15-24 years. – United
Nations (UN)
For the purpose of this
research, we will use INJAZ’s
definition of youth. Youth is
defined as a high school
and/or university graduate
between the age of 16 and 25.
Source: INJAZ website, International Labor Organization website, United Nations website
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
13
Defining Millennials
Millennials, born between 1980 and 2000, represent a large portion of
Arab youth and have different work preferences than those of previous
generations.
EYH Definition of Millennials
• EYH defines millennials as individuals born between 1980 and 2000 and who reached adulthood in the
year 2000.
• Millennials, also known as Generation Y, follow Generation X which includes individuals born between
1960 and 1980.
• The number of millennials is increasing in every industry in the Middle East and a growing number of
them currently occupy middle to senior management positions.
• Since millennials represent an increasing share of the workforce, they are no longer seen as the leaders
of tomorrow but increasingly as the leaders of today.
Millennial Difference from Previous Generations
• Millennials are different from the previous generation, which grew up without social media, unified
communications, smartphones or the internet.
• Millennials are motivated and increasingly engaged through continuous learning and development.
• Millennials require recognition that is not necessarily financial. Also, they look for more social and
cultural activities.
• Millennials, in general, express little loyalty to their current employers due to the lack of development
of leadership skills and feelings of being overlooked in their organizations.
• Millennials often put their personal values ahead of organizational goals and several have shunned
assignments (and potential employers) that conflict with their beliefs.
Source: EYH, The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey
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14
Millennials’ values impact the workplace
The personal values of millennials influence their career choice and
impact their workplace.
Millennials’ Values
Values Impact on the Workplace
Ethics
Productivity
Millennials are very keen on transparency and
integrity at work. They are open about their
choices, why they make them, etc. At the same
time, they expect the same from their
employers.
Millennials are immersed with personal values
that shape their behaviors, and their
performance thus the workplace. Accordingly,
this is positively and tightly correlated to the
productivity of organizations.
Freedom
Millennials truly cherish their freedom in
various forms. They expect the organizations
they work for to value their freedom and to
allow them enough resources to express it.
Priorities
Millennials inform their career choices by
priorities. In fact, Millennials do truly care
about the balance between their work and their
personal life. Additionally, they put their life
first as they seek fulfillment from their hobbies
such as sports, music and other forms of social,
cultural, and artistic activities.
Team Work
Millennials’ personal values are positively
impacting team work in the work place.
Accordingly, organizations are witnessing better
results and most importantly a better work
environment where ideas are shared and the
workload is shared in a positive and human
fashion.
Innovation and Creativity
Millennials’ personal values, openness to
others, and diversity nurtures a great amount
of innovation and creativity. The workplace can
benefit from the entrepreneurial attitude that is
increasing as Millennials tend to treat the
organization they work for as if they own it.
Source: The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey
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15
Factors that attract Millennials
Millennials are attracted and engaged by employers who create a
culture suitable for their goals and aspirations.
A sense of Purpose
Diversity
Millennial employees are more driven by purpose
than by profit. They want to work for organizations
that focus on improving the skills, income, and
satisfaction levels’ of employees; create jobs; and
provide goods and services that have a positive
impact on peoples’ lives.
Millennials are interested in taking part of the
employers where different nationalities work in order
to adapt to the different cultures, learn from various
professional strategies and develop their
communication skills.
Fast-Track Career Progression
Millennials are looking for employers that offer fairly
fast track career progression with appealing job
titles.
Exposure
Millennials are searching for jobs at the key
international employers, that are spearheading with
key international events (e.g. WorldCup, Expo), in
order to benefit from the exposure they get.
Rewards & Recognition
Millennial employees are attracted by the competitive
packages that employers offer. This is definitely
further enhanced in the Arab region by the fact that
GCC countries are so far free of taxation.
Source: The 2016 Deloitte Millennial Survey
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
16
Overview of Arab youth
employment in the MENA
Region
Defining employment and unemployment
Employment and unemployment rates vary according to a country’s or
region’s demography and economic environment.
Defining Employment
• For an individual to be counted as employed, he/she
should:
‒ Be above a specific age, in Arab region above the age
of 16; and
‒ Work for pay, profit or family gain for a specified
period of time (differs by country).
• Employment in a country or region is measured through
an employement rate.
Defining Unemployment
• For an individual to be counted as unemployed, he/she
should:
‒ Be above a specific age, in Arab region above the age
of 16.
‒ Be without continuous paid or unpaid work for a
specified period of time (differs by country).
‒ Be actively seeking employment opportunities.
• Unemployment in a country or region is measured
through an unemployement rate.
Defining Youth Employment
Youth employment specifies the
number of youth (i.e. between
the ages of 16 and 25) who work
for pay, profit or family gain for a
specified period of time.
Youth employment can be
measured by youth employmentto-labor force ratio
Source: International Labor Organization
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
18
Overview of youth unemployment in MENA Region
The average youth unemployment rate in the MENA region is 28%,
which is considered among the highest in the world.
Unemployment rate (%)
Unemployment rate in the MENA region by
age
15-24
25+
40
35
30
25
20
15
10
5
0
Comparison of Unemployment Rates
by Region
28%
MENA
Latin America
Sub-Saharan Africa
East Asia
14%
12%
10%
Key Findings
• The average youth unemployment rate in the
MENA region is 28%, which is considered
among the highest in the world.
• Women youth unemployment rates tend to be
higher that the average youth unemployment
rate in the MENA region. A Bayt.com survey
found that 43% of women youth are
unemployed.
• Youth unemployment rates are higher than
adult unemployment rates in all MENA
countries.
• Egypt has the highest youth unemployment
rate; in contrast, Qatar has the lowest youth
unemployment rate.
• North Africa and Levant countries have a higher
average youth unemployment rate than GCC
countries for the following reasons:
‒ Economic and political instability
‒ Low levels of private sector development
‒ Limited employment opportunities
Source: The World Bank & OECD, Opportunities and Challenges in the MENA Region, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
19
Key reasons for high youth unemployment rates (1/2)
Key youth employment barriers contribute to the high youth
unemployment rates across the MENA region.
Key Youth Employment Barriers
1
2
3
4
5
Mismatch of skills: Graduates in the MENA region
are not fully equipped with the proper soft and
technical skills because the education systems are not
completely in line with market requirements.
Political and economic instability: The Arab
spring, ongoing wars and political instabilities, and the
drop of oil prices have negatively affected Arab youth
employment.
Competition from more qualified expatriates:
Expatriates from more developed economies are
usually preferred over nationals because they are
perceived to be more qualified.
Unwillingness to work in the private sector: Arab
youth prefer to work in the public sector because of
the short working hours and better salary packages.
6
7
8
9
Limited employment opportunities for women:
Women youth in the MENA region have the highest
unemployment rates in the world due to limited
employment opportunities and cultural reservations.
Inefficient use of e-recruitment channels:
Employers do not fully use the available online erecruitment channels to target Arab youth.
Nationalization programs: Arab youth wanting to
work in the GCC may face visa difficulties and labor
restrictions due to nationalization requirements.
Job security: There is no employer-sponsored
permanent residency in the GCC, making it difficult
for Arab youth who want job security in the GCC.
Youth university major preferences: Arab youth
are more likely to consider majoring in business
rather than majoring in Science, Technology,
Engineering and Math, which are necessary nowadays
Source: European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the European Investment Bank, The World Bank: What’s Holding Back The Private Sector In MENA?
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
20
Key reasons for high youth unemployment rates (2/2)
56% of Arab youth perceive themselves to be unprepared to join the
workforce, decreasing their chances of finding a job.
% of Arab youth unprepared to enter the workforce
49%
59%
58%
GCC
Levant
North
Africa
• On average, 56% of Arab youth perceive themselves to be unprepared to join their industry of choice.
• Youth in the Levant and North Africa tend to be the most unprepared in the MENA region.
• Reasons for lack of readiness to join the workforce include:
‒ Inadequate education system
‒ Lack of experiential learning opportunities
Source: Bayt.com: Fresh Graduates in the Middle East and North Africa, World Bank, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
21
Overview of the hospitality,
technology and media
industries in the MENA
region
Defining hospitality, technology and media industries
The hospitality, technology and media industries are increasingly
becoming target markets for youth employment in the MENA region.
EYH Definition of Industry
• An industry can be defined as the aggregate of technically-aligned activities/organizations who produce
similar goods and services.
• Examples of industries include the manufacturing industry, oil and gas industry, transportation industry, etc.
• This report focuses on Arab youth employment opportunities in the hospitality, technology and media
industries.
Hospitality
Technology
Media
• The hospitality industry is
mainly composed of Hotels,
restaurants, event planners
and tourism agencies.
• Hotels and restaurants
constitute the largest
segments of the hospitality
industry.
• Activities in hospitality industry
involve heavy customer service
and interactions for the
provision of services.
• Key hospitality organizations in
the Arab world include Marriott
Hotels & Resorts, Starwood,
Intercontinental, Rotana etc.
• The technology industry is
mainly composed of
technology services
companies, software and
infrastructure manufacturers
and resellers and IT functions
within organizations.
• The technology industry is
growing exponentially due to
the spread of internet access
and the advancements in
computer processing power,
data storage and chip design.
• Key technology organizations
in the Arab world include
General Electric, Apple, Oracle,
etc.
• The media industry is mainly
composed of TV channels,
newspapers, publishers, and
social media providers.
• A major technological shift is
currently happening in the
media industry whereby news
and media content is being
provided online rather than on
traditional media (e.g. paper
newspapers versus online
content).
• Key media organizations in the
Arab world include MBC,
Ooredoo, Facebook, Twitter,
etc.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
23
Overview of drivers affecting Arab youth employment
Several changes are positively and negatively affecting Arab youth
employment in the hospitality, technology and media industries.
Hospitality
Technology
Media
• Currently, around 14% of fresh
graduates in the MENA region choose a
career in the hospitality industry.
• Currently, around 19% of fresh
graduates in the MENA region choose a
career in the technology industry.
• Currently, around 14% of fresh
graduates in the MENA region choose a
career in the media industry.
• Factors negatively impacting Arab
youth employment in the hospitality
industry:
• Factors negatively impacting Arab
youth employment in the technology
industry:
• Factors negatively impacting Arab
youth employment in the media
industry:
‒ Slowing tourism sector: the
relatively weak economic and
political situation in most MENA
countries has decreased the number
of international tourists, negatively
impacting the hospitality industry
and available jobs.
‒ Industry disruptors: innovative
organizations such as Airbnb are
competing with traditional hotels to
attract business and tourist travelers.
‒ Digital: digital booking is changing
the way consumers manage their
travels, accommodation and flights;
requiring less human interactions.
• Factors positively impacting Arab youth
employment in the hospitality industry:
‒ Major events: several major events
will be organized in the GCC
including Expo Dubai 2020 and Qatar
World Cup 2022, thus, increasing job
opportunities for fresh graduates.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
‒ Skills competition: Arab youth face
stiff competition for technology jobs
from more educated and specialized
foreigners.
‒ Education: there is a mismatch
between the skills required by the
industry and the education provided
by universities.
• Factors positively impacting Arab youth
employment in the technology industry:
‒ Entrepreneurship: there is an
increased drive for entrepreneurship.
Several business incubators in the
MENA region are providing funding
and support for start ups.
‒ Technology demand: there is a
demand for technology skills to cater
to the ‘App Economy’.
‒ Replacing older workforce:
organizations are replacing nonskilled workers with technology
literate candidates.
‒ Decline of traditional media:
organizations that focus on print and
other traditional forms of media are
either having to reinvent themselves
or go out of business. They face
fierce competition from free online
news sources, alternative channels
(e.g. Netflix, legal and illegal
streaming, etc.)
• Factors positively impacting Arab youth
employment in the media industry:
‒ Growth of e-media: online
publishing, content management
and disruptors to traditional media
are growing.
‒ Emphasis on social media:
organizations are understanding the
power of social media to
communicated and build
relationships with their customers.
Sources – YouGov & Bayt. com
24
Arab youth perceptions
Arab youth have varying perceptions regarding choosing a career in the
hospitality, technology and media industries.
General Perceptions
• Desire to work in a field
they are passionate
about.
• Attracted to competitive
compensation and
benefits packages.
Hospitality Industry
• Not seen as prestigious
as other industries.
• Low Payment for non
senior positions.
• Require work-life
balance.
• Perception that no
vocational education or
special skills are
required.
• Attracted to jobs that
are impactful and
provide them autonomy.
• Potentially difficult worklife balance, particularly
during overnight shifts.
• Think that traditional
industries provide the
best employment
prospects.
• Seems to be more
suitable for women.
• Have insufficient
knowledge of “nontraditional” industries.
Technology Industry
Media Industry
• Provides
• Declining interest in
entrepreneurship and
traditional media.
innovation opportunities. • Increases awareness
• Fierce competition from
and interest in social
highly-technical
media and internet
expatriates.
content
creation/publishing.
• Very technical.
• Requires constant
learning and training to
adapt to new
technologies.
• Fast-paced.
• Restrictions on what can
be published.
• Requires late night shifts
since the news is
ongoing 24/7.
• Seems to be more
• Nationals typically do
suitable for men.
not consider working in
• Relevance of today’s
this industry, particularly
educational curricula to
in the GCC.
emerging technologies.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Sources – YouGov & Bayt. com
25
Sample jobs in the hospitality, technology and media industries
After graduating from university, Arab youth typically occupy the
following entry-level positions in the hospitality, technology and media
industries.
Hospitality industry
Technology industry
Media industry
• Catering Coordinator
• Travel Coordination
• Customer Services
Representative
• Front Office Staff
• Reservation Coordinator
• Housekeeping Coordinator
• Event Coordinator/Junior
Sales Agent
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Computer Engineer
Software Engineer
Database Administrator
Computer Programmer
IT Business/Data Analyst
UI/UX Designers
Data Engineers
• Assistant Chef
• Restaurant Coordinator
• Web Architecture / Mobile
Developer
• Network and Information
Security Engineer
• Desktop Support Technician
• Analytics Specialist
• Social Media Coordinator
• Presenter
• Marketing Coordinator
• Commercial Coordinator
• Public Relations Coordinator • Advertising Specialist
• Producer
• Editorial Assistant
• Search Engine Optimization
Analyst
Source: Bayt.com
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
226
Key positions in the hospitality industry
Several jobs in the hospitality industry tend to be well-known to Arab
youth, however others require further promotion.
Key positions and qualifications in the Hospitality Industry
Less known positions
Popular positions
Key Positions
Required Qualifications
Restaurant Coordinator
• Bachelors degree
(Business/Management/Hospitality/Catering) or
Diploma
• School leavers with apprenticeship programs
Customer Service Representative
• Bachelors degree (Business/Marketing)
• High school diploma
• Minimum of 1 year experience
Event Coordinator/ Junior Sales Agent
• Bachelors degree
(Marketing/Administration/Communication)
• 2-4 Years of experience
Hotel/Operations Management
• Bachelor degree (hotel management) or Diploma
• Minimum of 2 years experience
Reservation Coordinator
• Bachelor degree (Marketing/Business/Hospitality) or
Diploma
• Minimum of 2 years experience
Catering Coordinator
• Bachelors degree
(Business/Management/Hospitality/Catering) or
Diploma
• School leavers with apprenticeship programs
Employers usually prefer candidates with relevant work experience (full-time job, internships or other experiential learning opportunities)
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
27
Key positions in the technology industry
Several jobs in the technology industry tend to be well-known to Arab
youth, however others require further promotion.
Key positions and qualifications in the Technology Industry
Less known positions
Popular positions
Key Positions
Required Qualifications
IT Business/Data Analyst
• Bachelors degree (Computer science/ Information
system)
Web Architecture / Mobile Developer
• Bachelors degree (IT/Computer science/ Software
development)
• Minimum of 2 years experience
Database Administrator
• Bachelors degree (IT/Computer science)
• National diploma
• Minimum of 3-5 years of experience
Data Engineer
• Bachelors degree (IT/Computer Science)
• Minimum of 2 years experience
Network and Information Security Engineer
• Bachelors degree (Computer Science)
• Minimum of 1-2 years of experience
UI/ UX designers
• Bachelors degree (Computer Science)
• Availability of a portfolio (Class projects)
Employers usually prefer candidates with relevant work experience (full-time job, internships or other experiential learning opportunities)
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
28
Key positions in the media industry
Several jobs in the media industry tend to be well-known to Arab youth,
however others require further promotion.
Key positions and qualifications in the Media Industry
Less known positions
Popular positions
Key Positions
Required Qualifications
Presenter
• Bachelors degree
(Broadcasting/Communication/Performing
Arts/Journalism)
Anchor
• Bachelors degree (Communication/Journalism)
• National Diploma
• Availability of a portfolio (Class projects)
Editorial Assistant
• Bachelors degree
(English/Communication/Journalism)
• Availability of a portfolio (Class projects)
Producer
• Bachelors degree
(Theater/Film/Cinematography/Communications/Jour
nalism)
• Minimum of 1-2 years experience
Public Relations Coordinator
• Bachelors degree (Communication)
• National Diploma
• Minimum of 2 years experience
Marketing Coordinator
• Bachelors degree
(Business/Management/Communication)
• National Diploma
• Minimum of 2-3 years experience
Employers usually prefer candidates with relevant work experience (full-time job, internships or other experiential learning opportunities)
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
29
Typical career paths in the hospitality industry
Career paths in the hospitality industry can be either vertical or
horizontal due to the large number of relatively junior positions that
require similar skills.
Overview of a typical hospitality career path
Hospitality is a unique and characterized by:
• Network structure: provides a large number of entry level position.
• Career movement: allows vertical or horizontal progress.
• Wide availability of training programs and apprenticeships.
Nonetheless, graduates holding a hotel management degree follow a hierarchal structure that starts right
after the management training program. According to the hotel policy and the management training
program graduates will be admitted departmental assistant manager or departmental manager, hotel
manager, general manager and lastly cluster or regional manager.
Catering
Customer Service
Housekeeping
Kitchen
Attendant
Caterer
Sous Chef
Chef
Executive
Chef
Receptionist
Bell Desk
Assistant
Front
Office
Supervisor
Night
Auditor
Front
Office
Manager
Laundry
Attendant
Housekeeping
Attendant
Housekeep
ing
Supervisor
Rooms
Division
Manager
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Floor
Supervisor
30
Career path in Marriott Hotel
Marriot Hotels offer Internships and Graduate Programs to enable youth
to occupy early supervisory and managerial positions after program
completion.
General Manager
Assistant
General Manager
Event Management
Director
Food & Beverage
Director
Front Desk
Supervisor
Room Operations
Manager
Banquet
Manager
Kitchen Manger
Stewarding
Manager
Restaurant
Manager
Event Manager
Reservation
Supervisor
Housekeeping
Supervisor
Kitchen
Supervisor
Stewarding
Supervisor
Restaurant
Supervisor
Event Supervisor
Executive Chef
Chef
Voyage Graduate
program
Internship
program
Senior
Levels
Middle
Levels
Entry
Levels
Source: Deloitte Knowledge Database
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
31
Sample skills required in the hospitality industry
The following describes sample job families in the hospitality industry
and their related entry-level skills.
Hospitality
Hotel Management
•
Hotel / restaurant
operations
•
Event management
•
Tourism management
•
Guest relations
•
Budget management
•
Staff management
•
Decision Making
•
Communication skills
•
Teamwork
Customer service
Catering
Housekeeping
•
Guest relations
•
Cooking
•
Cleaning
•
Complaint
management
•
Catering management
•
Event management
•
Reservation
management
•
Resource allocation
management
•
Time management
•
Guest relations
Helpdesk support
•
Customer service
•
•
•
Decision Making
•
•
•
Communication skills
Health and safety
requirements
Interpersonal/team
skills
•
•
Fluency in several
languages
Budget management
Health and safety
requirements
Teamwork
•
Teamwork
•
Source: Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
32
Typical career paths in the technology industry
Career paths in the technology industry are hierarchical as they require
specialized skills in order to progress in the desired job family.
Overview of a typical technology
career path
The technology industry can be
characterized by:
• Hierarchal career path.
• Continuous practice and hands-on
training.
• High adaptability and skill
development:
‒ Early stages: skills, values and
expertise.
‒ Mid/senior positions: people
management, decision making,
strategy and vision.
Chief
Information
Officer
Chief Architect,
IT Department/Division
Lead
Program Manager/
Delivery Leader
IT Engineer, Architect, Specialist
IT Programmer, Network Officer, Maintenance Technician
Trainee, Computer Operator, IT Helpdesk Support
Source: Chartered Technofunctional Institute website, 2016
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
33
Career path in General Electric (GE)
IT professionals at GE typically specialize in one of four main IT
functions after completing the IT Leadership Program.
Chief Information
Officer
System/Application
Project Manager
Network & Security
Project Manager
Operation
Project Manager
DB*
Project Manager
System/Application
Leader
Network & Security
Leader
Operation
Leader
DB*
Leader
System/Application
Architecture
Network & Security
Architecture
Operation Architecture
DB*
Architecture
System/Application
Analysist
Network & Security
Analysist
Operation Analysist
DB*
Analysist
System/Application
Engineer
Network & Security
Engineer
IT Support
Engineer
DB*
Engineer
IT Leadership Program
Senior
Levels
Middle
Levels
Entry
Levels
Source: Deloitte Knowledge Database
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
34
Sample skills required in the technology industry
The following describes sample job families in the technology industry
and their related entry-level skills.
Technology
Database
Administrator
•
Database management
•
Knowledge of database
programming
languages
•
Cloud computing
•
Analytical skills
•
Problem solving skills
Software Engineer
•
Knowledge of core
programming
languages (Java, C++,
Python)
•
Application
development
•
Web development
•
Interface design
•
SEO/SEM Marketing
•
Statistical analysis and
data mining
•
Project Management
•
Systems analysis
Systems Analyst
•
Business intelligence
analysis
•
Technology
management
•
Software development
•
IT Security
•
IT Risk management
•
Network management
and security
•
Operating system
administration
Business & information
systems administration
•
Business continuity
management
•
Data processing
•
•
Project management
Disaster recovery
management
•
Business systems
integration
•
Intrusion detection and
management
•
Risk management
•
Hardware & software
configuration
Source: Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
35
Typical career paths in the media industry
Entry levels and career progression in media industry.
Overview of a typical media
career path
Marketing
career path
Graphic/ Creative
career path
General career
path in media
Media is more of a specialized
industry and can be characterized by:
• Critical balance between technical
knowledge and soft skills.
• Very defined and functional
structure, but the levels and time
between transition in which you
pass through may differ from one
job family to the other.
• Media has a limited number of
entry points; hence, it’s the most
competitive market out of all three
industries.
Chief Marketing
Office
Creative Director
Media Director
Marketing Manager
Senior Art Director
Editor
Marketing Assistant
Junior Art Director
Media Supervisor
Graphic Designer
Senior Media Planner
Public Relations
Specialist
Source: Career Education.Columbia website, 2016
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
36
Career path in MBC (Digital Media)
Youth working in MBC’s Digital Media department typically start as a
Digital Marketing Executive before specializing in a digital media
function.
Digital Media Director
Digital Marketing
Director
Research and Insights
Director
Social Media Director
Digital Content Director
Digital Marketing
Manager
Research and Insights
Manager
Social Media Manager
Digital Content
Producer
Digital Advertising
Executive
Social Media Executive
Copywriter
SEO* Manager
SEO* Executive
Digital Marketing
Executive
Senior Levels
Middle Levels
Entry Level
Source: Deloitte Knowledge Database
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
37
Sample skills required in the media industry
The following describes sample job families in the media industry and
their related entry-level skills.
Media
Graphics/ Creative
Design
Public Relations
•
Relationship
management
•
Interpersonal/team
skills
•
•
Fluency in several
languages
•
Creativity
•
Knowledge of design
software (Photoshop,
Illustrator, InDesign,
etc.)
•
Knowledge of media
channels
(Broadcasting/Digital)
Knowledge of
multimedia Design
Software (Acrobat,
etc.)
Marketing/
Advertising
•
Customer
segmentation and
targeting
•
SEO/SEM Marketing
•
Advertising strategies
•
Social media
monitoring and
management
•
Commercial awareness
•
Project management
•
Analytical skills
Broadcasting/
Editorial
•
Multitasking
•
Communication skills
•
Professionalism
•
Knowledge of media
production
•
Fluency in several
languages
•
Writing skills
•
Editorial skills
Source: Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
38
Assessment of youth
employment in the
hospitality, technology and
media industries
Lack of awareness in high-growth industries
Arab youth are unaware of employment opportunities in fast growing,
“non-traditional” industries such as hospitality, technology and media.
% of Arab youth aware of job opportunities in
non-traditional industries
24%
Media
Annual Growth Rates of Key Industries by
Country
25%
Hospitality
• Arab youth are largely focused on traditional
industries and rarely consider job opportunities
in the non-traditional industries.
• Only 24% of Arab youth are aware of job
opportunities in the media industry
• Only 25% of Arab youth are aware of the job
opportunities in the hospitality industry.
• Technology is an industry that is closely
associated with engineering, a traditionally
favored field of specialization in MENA region
Source: INJAZ, Bayt.com, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Hospitality
Technology
UAE
8.5%A
14%B
KSA
18%C
8.9%D
Egypt
1.7%E
15%F
Morocco
4.9%G
11.7%H
Lebanon
3.2%I
9.7%J
Jordan
5.6%K
Not available
Media
7%L
(not available by
country)
• Hospitality is expected to grow mostly in KSA, UAE
and Jordan.
• Technology is expected to grow mostly in Egypt,
UAE and Morocco.
Annual growth rate in market value, 20132014, Dubai Chambers of Commerce
B Annual growth rate in market value, 20122013, Alpen Capital
C Annual growth rate in total international sales
receipts, 2013-2014, BMI
D Annual growth rate in total IT spending, 20122013, International Data Corporation
E Annual growth rate in Hotel and restaurant
industry value 2013-2014, BMI
F Annual growth rate IT sales (EGP), 2016-2017,
BMI
A
Annual growth rate in Hotel and restaurant
industry value (USD), 2013-2014, BMI
H Annual growth rate in total IT spending, 20132014, IDC
I Annual growth rate in market value, 20122013, World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC)
J Annual growth rate in total IT spending, 20132014, BMI
K Annual growth rate in total contribution of
Travel & Tourism to GDP, 2015-2016, WTTC
L Annual growth rate in total spending, 20142019, Diplomatic Courier
40
G
Forecasted growth in key industries
The hospitality and technology industries in the MENA region show
steady growth rates in the short- to medium-term.
Hospitality
Technology
2016
2017
2018
2016 – 2020
UAE
6.1%
5.7%
5.3%
5.4%
KSA
13.5%
3.5%
5.4%
3.7%
Egypt
-10.7%
-8.0%
-3.9%
15.0%
4.6%
13.0%
12.0%
11.7%
Morocco
Lebanon
5.7%
Jordan
5.6%
7.6%
NA
Arab youth who find a job in:
• North Africa: have equal chances of employment in hospitality as well as technology upon their graduation.
‒ Technology industry will continue to grow significantly in North Africa due to the large number of governmental
initiatives targeting technological improvements.
‒ Hospitality industry is expected to have a positive growth as a result of economic and political recovery.
• GCC: have higher chances of employment in hospitality industry than in technology industry
‒ Currently GCC has the largest technology market in MENA region. As a result, growth in the technology industry
will continue to grow in GCC but not as much as the next two to three years.
‒ On the other hand, hospitality/tourism is a growing industry that GCC countries are heavily investing in as they
seek to diversify their revenue streams.
• Levant: Have higher chances of employment in technology industry than in hospitality industry
‒ Technology industry is expected to grow faster than hospitality to support the economical development in
Levant.
‒ While Hospitality industry is staggered because of the political and economic unrest.
Source: Business Monitor International (BMI), World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) & International Data Corporation (IDC)
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
41
Employment market mismatch
There is a gap between the industries targeted by Arab youth and those
that are consistently hiring.
Arab youth’s target industries
19%
21%
23%
20%
17%
Engineering/ Design
Telecom
17%
Business Consultancy/
Management
Advertising/Marketing/P
R
IT/Internet/E-commerce
Banking/Finance
2016
Industries willing to hire
11%
Engineering/ Design
6%
6%
6%
6%
Real
Estate/Construction/Prop
erty Development
Hospitality/Recreation/En
tertainment
IT/Internet/E-commerce
Key Findings
• A Bayt.com survey found that there is a gap
between industries targeted by Arab youth and
those that are consistently hiring.
• For example, 23% of Arab youth are planning a
career in banking and finance while only 6% of
banking and finance employers are looking to hire
Arab youth.
• The talent pool is currently saturated with talents
looking for:
‒ Banking/Finance
‒ Business Consultancy/ Management
‒ Advertising/Marketing/PR
• Meanwhile employers are attentively hiring talents
for:
‒ Engineering/Design
‒ Hospitality
‒ IT/Internet/E-commerce
Banking/Finance
2016
Source: Bayt.com, The Skills Gap in the Middle East and North Africa, 2016
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
42
Factors influencing Arab youth career choices
In order to build awareness of fast-growing, “non-traditional” industries,
organizations should first understand the factors that influence Arab
youth when choosing a career or major.
In the last year of high school Arab youth are faced by the ultimate question: What major shall I choose?
Top Factors Influencing Career Choices:
Top Majors:
According to a Bayt.com study, the top factors
influencing Arab youth career choices are:
Arab youth tend to choose the following majors:
Doing a job they feel
passionate about (79%)
22%
STEM
Accounting/Finance
17%
14%
Business/ Economics
Earning competitive
compensation and
benefits package (61%)
Opportunities for fast
and stable
career progression
(60%)
Training and
development programs
(58%)
Media
Design
5%
3%
• It is important to note that family pressure in the
MENA region is an important factor when considering
university majors.
• In fact, around 20% of Arab families wish that their
children choose the below “prestigious” and
employable majors:
o Business
o Medicine
o Engineering
o Architecture
Source: Bayt.com, INSEAD Competitive Index
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
43
Factors influencing career choices by geography
In order to attract Arab youth, employers in the hospitality, technology
and media industries should tailor and communicate their employee
value proposition according to youth priorities.
Factors Influencing Career Choices
1st Doing a job I feel passionate about
Levant
GCC
North Africa
2nd Earning competitive
compensation and benefits
package.
2nd International career
Opportunities and global
assignments.
2nd International career
opportunities and global
assignments.
3rd Working at a wellknown organization.
3rd Working at a wellknown organization.
3rd Good reputation for
ethical practices.
4th Opportunities for fast
and stable career
progression.
4th Opportunities for fast
and stable career
Progression.
4th Earning competitive
compensation and benefits
package.
Source: Bayt.com: Fresh Graduates in the Middle East and North Africa
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
44
Use of e-recruitment channels
e-Recruitment channels are barely used; Only 0.6% of job vacancies on
Bayt.com target youth in the hospitality industry, 0.5% in the technology
industry and 1.1% in the media industry.
Number of vacancies (youth + others) in each
industry by country
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40
20
0
Media
Technology
Hospitality
Source: Bayt.com
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Key Findings
• Around 9,000 job vacancies were posted on
Bayt.com during the time that this research was
conducted. Vacancies are split as such:
• 4% in the Hospitality industry:
‒ Most hospitality vacancies were found in UAE,
KSA and Qatar.
‒ Out of the total number of available hospitality
vacancies, vacancies for youth comprise 15%.
• 5% in the Technology industry:
‒ Most technology vacancies are found in UAE,
KSA and Egypt.
‒ Out of the total number of available technology
vacancies, vacancies for youth comprise 10%.
• 7% were Media
‒ Most media vacancies are found in UAE, KSA
and Egypt.
‒ Out of the total number of available media
vacancies, vacancies for youth comprise 16%.
• In order to attract youth, organizations should
considering using online channels to post
vacancies such as Bayt.com and Glassdoor.
45
SWOT analysis for hiring Arab youth in the hospitality industry
Arab youth should leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses
to cope with opportunities and threats in the hospitality industry.
Strengths
Weaknesses
• Citizens of the MENA region have a reputation of being
hospitable and welcoming to tourists and travelers.
• There is an increased interest and drive for hospitality
entrepreneurship among Arab youth by providing
alternatives to expensive hotels and unhealthy food.
• Arab youth, particularly in the GCC, lack fluency in
languages other than Arabic and perceive a job in the
hospitality industry as not prestigious.
• Qualified Arab youth value work-life balance and do
not want to work overnight shifts.
• The hospitality industry typically offers lower starting
salary than other industries, particularly public sector,
technology and oil and gas.
• Arab youth lack vocational training opportunities to
effectively prepare for a job in the hospitality industry.
• Youth are unaware of job opportunities.
Opportunities
Threats
• The hospitality industry is expected to grow by an
average of 4.2% annually in the MENA region.
• Several major events will be organized in the GCC
including Expo 2020 and Qatar World Cup 2022, thus,
increasing hospitality job opportunities for Arab youth.
• GCC countries, particularly the UAE and Qatar, are
putting an increased focus on attracting tourists,
increasing the need for hospitality talent.
• The hospitality industry in some North Africa and
Levant countries is slowly picking up, after navigating
the Arab Spring and other political instabilities.
• The relatively weak economic and political situation
and ongoing wars have decreased the number of
international tourists to the MENA region, negatively
impacting the hospitality industry and available jobs.
• Innovative hospitality organizations such as Airbnb are
competing with traditional hotels to attract travelers.
• Digital booking is changing the way consumers
manage their travels, accommodation and flights;
requiring less human interactions.
• Perception among Arab youth that hospitality jobs are
more suitable for women.
Source: bayt.com: The Skills Gap in the Middle East and North Africa, Robert Half Hiring Index, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
446
University offerings | hospitality
Universities in the MENA region should align their training curricula to
develop the hospitality skills required by the industry.
Hospitality Bachelor
Degrees
Typical Duration
Tourism and Hotel
Management
2-4 years
Hospitality Management
3-4 Years
Tourism, Leisure and
Travel Management
3 years
Hotel Management
3-4 Years
International Food and
Business
4 years
Culinary Arts and Science
Management
3-4 years
Tourism Retail
4 Years
Commonly available
majors
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Rare majors/Available as a
specialization not a major
Availability
Demanded majors that
are not offered
47
SWOT analysis for hiring Arab youth in the technology industry
Arab youth should leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses
to cope with opportunities and threats in the technology industry.
Strengths
Weaknesses
• Arab youth represent more than 50% of the population
in the MENA region (World Economic Forum), creating
a young population that is tech-savvy.
• There is an increased interest and drive for technology
entrepreneurship among Arab youth.
• Relatively low number of Arab youth majoring in
science, technology, engineering and mathematics
(STEM). On average 22% of Arab youth major in STEM
subjects compared to 31% in Asia.
• Growth in projects related to smart cities, start-ups, ecommerce, and cloud computing has led to skills
shortages (see opportunities).
• High demand and a lack of supply of qualified Arab
youth to fill middle to senior IT roles in niche and hightech sectors.
• Arab youth lack hands-on technology experience.
Opportunities
Threats
• The technology services market is expected to grow by
8.6% annually in the MENA region.
Several business incubators in the MENA region are
providing funding and support for start-ups.
• Growth in the use of e-commerce and cloud has
increased demand for Security Professionals, Network
Architects and Software Engineers.
• Growth in tech businesses and start-ups has increased
demand for Software Engineers, Hardware Engineers
and Security Professionals.
• Arab youth face strong competition for technical IT
positions from Indian, US and UK nationals.
• High salaries are required to attract quality candidates.
• Perception among Arab youth that technology jobs are
more suitable for men.
• Technology education should be hands-on. Currently,
most universities in the MENA region do not provide
suitable experiential learning opportunities to their
students.
• There is a mismatch between the skills required by the
industry and the education provided by universities.
Source: bayt.com: The Skills Gap in the Middle East and North Africa, Robert Half Hiring Index, International Data Corporation, INSEAD Competitive Index, Deloitte
analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
48
University offerings | technology
Universities in the MENA region should align their training curricula to
develop the technology skills required by the industry.
Technology Bachelor
Degrees
Typical Duration
Computer Engineering
4-5 years
Electrical Engineering
4-5 years
Computer Science
4-5 Years
Computer Networks
3-4 Years
Information Security
4 years
Information systems
3-4 Years
Software Engineering
4-5 Years
Business Intelligence /
Analytics
4 Years
Commonly available
majors
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Rare majors/Available as a
specialization not a major
Availability
Demanded majors that
are not offered
49
SWOT analysis for hiring Arab youth in the media industry
Arab youth should leverage their strengths and address their weaknesses
to cope with opportunities and threats in the media industry.
Strengths
• Arab youth are highly proficient in the use of social
media platforms.
• Social media penetration among Arab youth is high.
According to a 2016 survey, around 62% of Arab youth
use Whatsapp on a daily basis, 55% use Facebook,
33% use Youtube, and 28% use Twitter and
Instagram.
• Arab youth use social media channels to portray their
opinions and influence others. There are several
highly-rated blogs and influencers in the MENA region.
Weaknesses
• Arab youth, particularly in the GCC, lack fluency in
languages other than Arabic.
• There are cultural reservations regarding women
working in media, censorship, and levels of free
speech. Those potentially discourage Arab youth to
work in traditional media.
Opportunities
• Social media and online media platforms are vying to
dominate online content/news. This increases the
demand for Internet Publishers and Editors.
• Organizations are understanding the power of social
media to communicated and build relationships with
their customers. This has increased demand for Social
Media and Marketing Specialists.
Threats
• The media industry is in a transition phase where it is
trying to compete with online media providers. This
negatively affects Arab youth employment chances in
traditional media organizations.
• There is a widespread decrease in the interest for
traditional media channels. A 2016 survey found that
32% of Arab youth get their daily news online, 29%
from TV and 7% from newspapers.
Source: bayt.com: The Skills Gap in the Middle East and North Africa, Arab Youth Survey, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
50
University offerings | Media
Universities in the MENA region should align their training curricula to
develop the media skills required by the industry.
Media Bachelor
Degrees
Typical Duration
Marketing
3-4 years
Communication and Public
Relations
3-4 years
Multimedia/ Graphic
Design
4 years
Digital Marketing
3-4 years
Digital Media
3-4 years
Commonly available
majors
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Rare majors/Available as a
specialization not a major
Availability
Demanded majors that
are not offered
51
Bridging the gap
Summary of industry challenges in the MENA Region
Our findings show that certain youth employment challenges are
common across industries, while others are limited to the hospitality,
technology and media industries.
Common Youth Employment Challenges Across Industries
• Political and economic instability negatively affects job
unprepared to join the workforce
openings for Arab youth
• Arab youth prefer to work in traditional industries due to
• University curricula are not fully aligned to industry
prestige, work-life balance and compensation
requirements, creating a mismatch of soft and technical • Arab youth lack critical information about the range of
skills
opportunities available to them in high-growth industries
• 56% of Arab fresh graduates perceive themselves to be • Increased competition from more qualified expatriates
Hospitality Employment
Challenges
Technology Employment
Challenges
• Lack of vocational training
opportunities to prepare Arab
youth for a hospitality job
• Demand for talent is not fulfilled
due to skill shortages
• Lack of fluency in languages other
than Arabic, particularly in GCC
• Resistance to work overnight
shifts
• Perception that hospitality jobs
are more suitable for women
• Lack of hands-on experience
• Decrease in the number of STEM
students
• Skill shortages for IT Security
Professionals, Network Architects,
Software/Application Engineers,
and Hardware Engineers
• Demand for middle to senior IT
roles in niche and high-tech
sectors is not fulfilled
• Perception that technology jobs
are more suitable for men
• Requires constant learning to
adapt to new technologies
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Media Employment Challenges
• Lack of fluency in languages other
than Arabic, particularly in GCC
• Cultural reservations regarding
women working in media,
censorship, and levels of free
speech
• Demand for Internet Content
Creators, Editors and Social Media
Specialists is not fulfilled
• Relatively low employment
opportunities in traditional media
organizations
53
Addressing Arab youth employment challenges
Addressing Arab youth employment challenges and bridging the skill gap
require a joint effort across key stakeholders.
3 Civil Society and Media
4 Industry Organizations
Key
stakeholders
2 Governments
5 Arab Youth
1 Education Institutions
Recommendations (detailed in the next slides) are based on 1) the assessment of the current state of youth
employment, 2) Deloitte’s experience working with the different key stakeholders, and 3) best practices from
successful references.
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
54
Role of education institutions in bridging the gap
Education institutions should be responsive to government and industry
requirements, and continue enhancing teaching methods and curricula
to satisfy job market requirements.
Role of education institutions in
bridging the gap
Successful references
1. Assist governments in developing and implementing a
national skills/education strategy.
The following universities ranked among the best in the Global
University Employability Survey conducted in 2015:
2. Collaborate with industry organizations to identify the
skills required for different job families, and develop a
skill-based framework to drive educational reform.
National University of Singapore (NUS):
•
3. Develop strong relations and development programs with
international educational institutions.
4. Continue efforts to revise program curricula and teaching
methods in line with industry skill requirements.
5. Provide awareness sessions to current and potential
students on high-growth industries and available job
opportunities/career paths in each.
Mines ParisTech:
•
6. Encourage students to major in STEM subjects to address
skill shortages in the technology industry.
7. Promote vocational training as a means to gain practical
and industry-specific trainings, particularly for jobs in
technology and hospitality.
8. Partner with industry organizations to provide experiential
learning opportunities to students such as internships,
company visits and job shadowing.
9. Support students during the job search process, including
career coaching and job fairs.
10. Provide lifelong learning and re-skilling programs to
address changing business dynamics.
Employers rated NUS’s graduates the 17th most employable
in the world, up from 39th place, in 2014. This notable
change was a result of:
‒ Entrepreneurship training program: A 6 months to 1
year training program that involves working with startup
companies by day and attending technology
entrepreneurship classes in the evening.
Mines specializes in STEM programs and provides their
student with strong ties to the industry. They connect their
students to businesses through:
‒ Internships: Students have to spend at least a total 560
hours during their three years of study.
‒ Career guidance: Students receive individual coaching to
help them to decide which jobs to pursue, make
applications and prepare for interviews.
University of Toronto (UofT):
•
70% of UofT’s engineering students guarantee employment
because of:
‒ Traditional Sandwich courses: those are college courses
of periods of study with periods of work between them
so students get technical experience.
Source: Times Higher Education, Employability: which university is doing the best by its students?, 2015
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
55
Role of governments in bridging the gap
Governments should provide the overall education strategy and quality
standards to ensure that Arab youth are equipped with the required
skills.
Role of governments in bridging the gap
1. Lead the development and oversee the
implementation of a national skills/education
strategy.
2. Toughen accreditation requirements and quality
standards to ensure that education institutions
provide the required level of education.
3. Develop and implement a quality assurance
mechanism to monitor adherence to set standards.
4. Promote flexible approaches to education (e.g. blend
of classroom teaching and experiential learning
opportunities).
5. Promote vocational education.
6. Promote high-growth and innovative industries to
increase youth employment and achieve desired
economic impact.
7. Develop a value proposition to retain/regain national
talent and prevent “brain drain”.
8. Where possible, provide incentives to attract youth to
high-growth and non-traditional industries such as
technology and hospitality.
9. Collect and publish open data regarding education
statistics and industry growth rates and recruitment.
This will provide useful information for education
institutions to revise their curricula.
Successful references
Finland’s Education System:
• Students in Finland rank among the top worldwide in
math, science and reading.
• Finland’s success is mainly because of the following:
‒ Flexible options: students can decide what to learn
be it at school or in quality vocational programs.
‒ Teachers: all teachers should have a Master’s
degree in education. Additionally, only 10% of
candidates are awarded teaching jobs.
‒ Time to develop soft and hands-on experience:
class participation and experiential learning
opportunities are highly promoted.
Bahrain Education Strategy:
• The goal of the strategy is to improve youth education
in light of the skills required in the 21st century.
• The strategy’s key themes include:
‒ Quality for impact: by focusing on student
engagement and performance, and quality
standards for academics and teaching.
‒ Skills for the future: by aligning the higher
education sector to industry priorities through
industry engagement, curricula and teaching reform
and career guidance.
Source: Bahrain Higher Education Council, Finland Ministry of Education and Culture, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
56
Role of civil society and media in bridging the gap
Civil Society and media should provide the required support to Arab
youth to sustain changes.
Role of civil society and media in
bridging the gap
1. Emphasize the severity of the unemployment issue in
MENA region. Both industries and educational
institutes need to cooperate through joined initiatives
and develop the available talent to fit the industry
requirements.
2. Act as a mediator to connect job seekers to the
employment market and understand the industrial
market trends. Media organizations and employers
should ensure that availability of jobs and
recruitment process should reach as many job
seekers as possible.
3. Create attractive motivators for employers to seek
out teachable talents.
4. Host discussion panels and public events to alter the
long believed concept of perceived “prestigious”
majors.
5. Encourage entrepreneurship and develop skills
needed to grow and nurture SME’s.
6. Promote community work and in the form of peer to
peer advising, group teaching and development
training programs.
Source: Gulf News, New facility to groom young entrepreneurs, 2016 & AUC
website, ECDC, Supported by AUC, Organizes First Employment Fair, 2015
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Successful references
Sharjah’s Entrepreneurship Centre (Sheraa)
• Sheraa offers students a distinct advantage to develop
their ideas to tangible business opportunities.
• They aim to influence youth’s minds by creating an open
and energetic atmosphere that welcomes both
participants and students. Some of the activities they
hold:
‒ A three months training program that is supported by
hands on mentorship to develop initial ideas to a
start-up journey.
‒ Sheraa provides business connections, office space,
free trade license and access to investors.
‒ Workshops to teach and develop hard skills.
Employability and Career Development Center (ECDC)
• ECDC, was original established in the American University
in Cairo (AUC). Recently they extended their services to
three public sector universities, in Egypt, to guide their
gradates and insure their employability.
• Public universities in Egypt supply a large number of
graduates. As a result, it’s important to ensure that they
possess the right skills for today’s job market through
providing the following services:
‒ Career planning process
‒ Internship and job posting
‒ English courses
‒ Job-search guidance
57
Role of industry organizations in bridging the gap
Industry organizations in the hospitality, technology and media
industries should be proactive in promoting careers and required skills
to Arab youth.
Role of industry organizations in
bridging the gap
1. Formalize job families and identify the required skills
for each.
2. Collaborate with education institutions to ensure that
skill requirements are addressed in the different
program curricula.
3. Partner with non-government organizations (NGOs)
and education institutions to implement initiatives
aimed at increasing awareness of job opportunities
and required skills, particularly in new and highgrowth industries.
4. Partner with education institutions and vocational
training organizations to provide internships and
apprenticeship programs to their students.
5. Use appropriate recruitment channels to attract and
recruit youth.
6. Implement organization-based training programs to
further up-skill new recruits.
7. Tackle youth misperceptions that Arab youth have
regarding the hospitality, technology and media
industries. For example, hospitality companies can
provide more international opportunities or exposure
to the local youth
Successful references
Marriott:
• Marriott is involved in youth-focused programs and
initiatives to up-skill and attract youth to the
hospitality industry. These include:
‒ Voyage Graduate program: paid leadership
development program and hands-on disciplinespecific trainings.
‒ Marriott Internship programs.
‒ Involvement with Expand Your Horizon.
General Electric (GE):
• In addition to providing internships and graduate
programs, GE also partners with universities:
‒ GE partnered with the American University in Cairo
to sponsor the University’s Incubator. GE will
provide funding, workshops and trainings to
commercialize technologies and innovations.
‒ GE partnered with universities in Ghana for skill
development initiatives.
MBC Group (MBC):
• As part of MBC Hope, MBC has implemented several
corporate social responsibility initiatives targeting
youth unemployment and giving back to society.
Source: Marriott website, General Electric website, MBC Group website, news clippings, Deloitte analysis
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
58
Role of Arab youth in bridging the gap
Arab youth should be proactive in developing their skills to match those
of their desired career path, increasing their employment chances.
Develop a clear vision and plan
• Be specific and realistic in the choice of career, and
develop a plan accordingly.
• Ensure that education choices (e.g. selected
university, major, internship) are in line with the plan.
Be open to
new
opportunities
Structure
your job
search
Research,
research, research
Role of
Arab youth
in bridging
the gap
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
Be open to new opportunities
• Do not resist the chance to pursue opportunities in
high-growth and non-traditional industries even if
doing so is not part of the original plan.
• Research the different industries to avoid having
misplaced perceptions of them.
Structure your job search
• Leverage university career coaching and job fairs.
• Use appropriate recruitment channels and networks
to apply to jobs.
Research, research, research
• Research all industries, identify the preferred one,
determine industries skill requirements, and identify
ways to build those skills.
• Research job opportunities that are in line with profile
and experiences.
• Research desired employers in order to submit a
compelling CV and job applications.
Pursue experiential learning opportunities
• Pursue internships and apprenticeships to apply
concepts taught in class to real-world situations.
• Consider pursuing vocational education when relevant
to career choice.
59
Appendix A: Impact of
education in the Social
Progress Index
Overview of the Social Progress Index (SPI)
The SPI measures social and environmental performance of 130 countries
based on several indicators, including education.
Arab countries rank between 39 and 127 in the Social Progress Index. Focusing on youth education will
boost Arab countries SPI results.
SPI Performance metrics
SPI results in Arab Countries
Basic Human Needs




World Median
Nutrition & Basic Medical Care
Water and Sanitation
Shelter
Personal Safety
Foundations of Well being
 Access to Basic Knowledge
 Access to Info and
Communications
 Health and Wellness
 Ecosystem Sustainability
127
86
73.39 71.84
39
68
56
45
66.3
88
89
74
71
65.43 64.42 61.92
61.18 60.74
65
41.78
Opportunity




Personal Rights
Personal Freedom & Choice
Tolerance & Inclusion
Access to Advanced Education
SPI
Rank vis a vis other countries
Source: Social Progress Index
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
61
SPI | focusing on youth education
To enhance their SPI score, Arab countries should improve access to
basic knowledge and advanced education, among others.
• Most Arab countries scored above the international average (83.26 points) in basic knowledge with the
exception of Morocco and Yemen.
• Arab countries should focus more on advanced education as they lag international peers. Five Arab
countries scored below the international average.
Basic knowledge and access to advanced education
SPI scores per country
93
92
91
90
88
Avge
83
81
88
Focusing on advanced education in
general and in the hospitality,
technology and media will:
90
61
Avge
55
51
48
47
48
2. Allow Arab youth to develop
competencies that are transferable
and adaptable depending on market
dynamics
39
25
20
1. Bridge competency gaps between
Arab youth and job market
requirements
24
5
3. Create advancement opportunities in
Arab communities whether formally
or informally
Access to Basic Knowledge
Access to Advanced Education
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
62
SPI | education case study
Canada achieved the highest results in SPI’s education factors due to its
clear education governance and quality assurance frameworks and its
educational brand.
Governance
Canada has no ministry or department of education at the federal level. However, the federal government has
delegated this responsibility to the territorial governments, which, in turn, cooperate with the provinces to deliver
postsecondary programs.
Quality assurance in postsecondary education in Canada
Private
universities
and out-ofprovince institutions are
permitted to offer degrees
only after their applications
have undergone a qualityassessment process
undertaken by provincial
government authorities,
and approved degrees may
continue to be monitored.
Public
universities
In most
provinces, provincial
legislation has established
the authority of
universities to grant
degrees and other
credentials, to call
themselves “universities,”
and to govern themselves
through a board of
governors and, most often,
a senate.
EDUCanada Brand
Private
colleges and
institutes,
are registered or licensed
in most jurisdictions.
Depending on the
jurisdiction, this may imply
consumer protection for
students, monitoring of the
provision of programs,
limits on advertising
claims, or the imposition of
standards for curriculum
and instructor
qualifications.
Apprentices
hip training
combines
workplace training and
class instruction. Provincial
and territorial legislation
governing apprenticeship
training may assign the
responsibility for quality
assurance to a
government department,
an industry-led agency,
and/or trade-specific
advisory committees.
The EduCanada brand signals that its holder consistently:
1. Provides high-quality education programs;
2. Deals with international students in accordance with recognized codes of practice;
3. Is subject to quality assurance mechanisms that monitor adherence to set standards.
Source: Canadian Information Centre for International Credentials
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
63
Appendix C: Glossary
of key terms
Glossary of key terms
Arab
EYH defines Arabs as individuals of any nationality who currently reside in an Arab country
Employed
individual
Individual who is above a specific age and works for pay
Millennials
Individuals born between 1980 and 2000
Skills
Ability to perform a job or activity well
Social progress
index
Measures of social and environmental performance of a country
SWOT analysis
Defines internal strengths and weaknesses and external opportunities and threats
Talent
Natural aptitude that an individual has to perform something relatively well compared to his/her peers
Unemployment
individual
Individual who is above a certain age and actively looking for a job, but cannot find one
Unemployment
rate
Percentage of unemployment individuals out of the labor force of a country
Youth
Individual aged between 16 and 25
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
65
Appendix D:
References
List of used references
The below consists of key references used across this document.
Sources
Country/Region
Date
Arab youth Employment, The youth challenge
MENA
2015
Egypt
2016
BachelorStudies, University offerings
MENA
2016
Bayt report: Fresh Graduates in the Middle East and North Africa
MENA
2016
Bayt report: The skill gap in the Middle East and North Africa
MENA
2016
Bayt.com, job vacancies
MENA
2016
Business Monitor International (BMI), growth rates for hospitality and
technology
North Africa and Middle East
2013-2020
Career Education.Columbia, Typical career paths in media industry
Global
2016
Global
2016
MENA
2015
Gulf News: New facility to groom young entrepreneurs
UAE
2016
Injaz, Fact Sheet
MENA
2016
Injaz, Overview of Injaz Al Arab
MENA
2016
International Data Corporation
Morocco
2013-2018
International Labor Organization (ILO), Definition of youth
Global
IT: CareerFinder, Job families for technology
MENA
2016
Global
2016
Global
2015
AUC website: ECDC, Supported by AUC, Organizes First Employment Fair
Chartered Technofunctional Institute, Typical career paths in the
technology industry
Diplomatic Courier: Media Market Growth: The Middle East Beckons
Shannon College of hotel management, Typical career paths in the
hospitality industry
Times Higher Education: Employability: which university is doing the best
by its students?
United Nations, Definition of youth
Global
World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC), growth rates for hospitality
Levant
2015-2025
Youth Policy, Middle East and North Africa youth facts
MENA
2016
©2017 Deloitte & Touche (M.E.) All rights reserved.
67
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